The conservatives in crisis : : the Tories after 1997 / / edited by Mark Garnett and Philip Lynch.

• TeilnehmendeR: Garnett, Mark, 1963-; Lynch, Philip, 1967-
• Year of Publication: 2003
• Edition: 1st ed.
• Language: English
• Physical Description: 1 online resource (272 pages) :; illustrations; digital, PDF file(s).
• Notes: Description based upon print version of record and e-publication (viewed on March 26, 2019).

The Conservatives in crisis provides a timely and important analysis of the Conservative Party's spell in opposition following the 1997 general election. It includes chapters by leading academic experts on the party and commentaries by three senior Conservative politicians: Lord Parkinson, Andrew Lansley MP and Ian Taylor MP. Having been the dominant force in British politics in the twentieth century, the Conservative Party suffered its heaviest general election defeats in 1997 and 2001. This book explores the party's current crisis and assesses the Conservatives' failure to mount a political recovery under the leadership of William Hague. The Conservatives in crisis includes a detailed examination of the reform of the Conservative Party organisation, changes in ideology and policy, the party's electoral fortunes, and Hague's record as party leader. It also offers an innovative historical perspective on previous Conservative recoveries and a comparison with the revival of the US Republican Party. In the conclusion the editors assess the failures of the Hague period and examine the party's performance under Iain Duncan Smith. The Conservatives in crisis will be essential reading for students of contemporary British politics.

Table of Contents

Intro -- CONTENTS -- FIGURES AND TABLES -- CONTRIBUTORS -- ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS -- ABBREVIATIONS -- Introduction (Mark Garnett and Philip Lynch) -- 1 The Conservatives in opposition, 1906-79: a comparative analysis (Stuart Ball) -- 2 The US Republicans: lessons for the Conservatives? (Edward Ashbee) -- 3 Win or bust: the leadership gamble of William Hague (Mark Garnett) -- 4 The Conservative parliamentary party (Philip Cowley and Mark Stuart) -- 5 Organisational reform and the extra-parliamentary party (Richard Kelly) -- 6 A question of definition? Ideology and the Conservative Party, 1997-2001 (Mark Garnett) -- 7 Conservative policy under Hague (Peter Dorey) -- 8 The Conservatives and Europe, 1997-2001 (Philip Lynch) -- 9 The Scottish Conservatives, 1997-2001: from disaster to devolution and beyond (Peter Lynch) -- 10 Nationhood and identity in Conservative politics (Philip Lynch) -- 11 The 2001 general election: so, no change there then? (David Broughton) -- Commentary 1 The reform of the Conservative Party (Lord Parkinson) -- Commentary 2 From values to policy: the Conservative challenge (Andrew Lansley MP) -- Commentary 3 The Conservatives, 1997-2001: a party in crisis? (Ian Taylor MP) -- Conclusions: the Conservatives in crisis (Philip Lynch and Mark Garnett) -- INDEX.